Dog Heaven: Pack Mates
by ScruffyLovin
Summary: Jack gets in touch with his animal side after accidently participating in a ritual off-world. Sam/Jack
1. Chapter 1

**Summary: **Jack gets in touch with his animal side after accidently participating in a ritual off-world.

**Timeframe: **Mid-season two-ish

**Characters/Pairing: **Team, Sam/Jack, Janet

**Genre: **Humor, Drama, Hurt/Comfort, Friendship, UST to RST

**Rating: **G

**Note: **This story is already complete, so expect updates fairly regularly. Please enjoy! :D

**Dog Heaven: Pack Mates **

**Part One**

General George Hammond stared down into the gate room with trepidation as SG-1 returned through the open wormhole. They were minus their leader, Colonel Jack O'Neill, and plus one; a massive grey wolf.

"SG-1, briefing room, now," Hammond called into the loudspeaker. He had a feeling that whatever explanation was forthcoming would probably be better heard in private.

.

Sam braved the explanation as they got the briefing room. No one bothered to sit. "The tribe we visited is very spiritual, sir. They form close bonds with all the animals around them, especially the wolves."

Daniel shifted from foot to foot uncomfortably. "Ah, yeah. Jack somehow managed to get mixed in with their Coming of Age ceremony, General. It was a complete miscommunication between him and their spiritual leader."

Hammond stared dubiously at the large grey wolf sitting on the floor of his briefing room. "And that means _what_, exactly." He frowned.

"It means that this," Sam grimaced and gestured down at the animal, "is Colonel O'Neill."

The General huffed out of a sigh and shook his head. "You have got to be kidding me."

"We are not, General Hammond." Teal'c, the steady voice of reason.

"How can you be sure it's him?" Hammond asked, still sounding quite skeptical.

"Well," Daniel stepped in, "We actually saw him…transform. We've talked to him, asked him questions. One bark for yes, two for no. He seems to know what we're saying and can do complex tasks."

Hammond frowned, and Sam interrupted, crouching beside the wolf. "Also, sir, there's this." She pointed to the scar that dashed across the animal's left eyebrow just like the Colonel's scar, then indicated the familiar brown eyes, and finally lifted a chain from around the wolf's big furry neck and held it out to her commander. It was Colonel O'Neill's dog tags.

The wolf remained still the entire time, and General Hammond bent down to get a closer look as Sam replaced the tags around the animal's neck. "Jack?" Hammond whispered tentatively after staring into the familiar coffee-brown eyes for a prolonged moment.

_Woof. _He even nodded.

Sam watched the General's eyes widen as he stood straight once more, nearly stumbling backwards. "It's him, sir."

"And is this…permanent?" Hammond wanted to know. The 'Please say no,' was left unspoken, but clear in his grey-blue eyes.

"Not according to the tribe's spiritual leader, sir." Sam waved at Daniel to further explain.

"He was kind of vague, General, and the language is rather difficult—unlike any Native American I've heard…" Daniel shifted uncomfortably and glanced briefly at the very silent wolf-O'Neill who was glaring at him. "But I think I got the gist of it. It seems that to return to his human form, Jack has to find his kindred spirit, soul mate, or inner self. Get in touch with his animal side, maybe. Something like that."

The General's eyebrows climbed. "Something like that?" he repeated.

Daniel cowered back slightly and nodded with a shrug, and Sam jumped in again to rescue him. "I think the tribesman also believed that the Colonel would best do that here, at home, than on their planet. That's why we came back instead of trying to do anything there, sir."

"I see." The General then made a call to Janet to explain what had happened so she would be prepared, and sent SG-1 to the infirmary to get their routine checks.

.

After all was said and done, it had been decided that it might be best for Jack to stay off base until this mess got sorted out. It was too much trouble to keep making return trips to the surface whenever he needed to relieve himself, and the entire base didn't need to know his situation.

Since Teal'c lived on base and Daniel wasn't allowed to have dogs in his apartment, the job of taking him in was left to Carter. They figured that they would stay at her house instead of his, because all her things were at her house, and while he was stuck in this form, Jack really didn't need to worry about clothes or anything like that. It would also be less of a burden for her to be in her own home, which Jack could understand.

The only thing that really bothered Jack was that he had to be leashed whenever they were in public, even if it was only going from the car to the house. The General suggested it would be safer and easier to pass him off as a domestic dog than a wolf—even though it was hard not to see it. He was at least one-hundred-fifty pounds, and nearly three feet tall at the shoulders. Carter assured him that if anyone asked, she would say he was a Husky-Shepherd mix. Jack had just cocked his head at her in a sort of wolf shrug.

Jack tried to sleep in the afternoon, sprawling on the area rug in front of Carter's couch, but it was difficult. All his senses were heightened and he had a hard time trying to tune everything out. Plus, Carter kept coming in to check if he needed anything. He could sense her unease, smell her anxiety. It was weird.

Every now and then he seemed to get these animalistic urges and had to fight not to act upon them; Scratching, licking, and barking to name a few. He was also feeling compelled to mark his territory—all over Carter's house. Which, logically, he knew wasn't even his territory to begin with, but a part of him felt like it _should be_, and so should Carter. He didn't think his 2IC would appreciate him pissing on her furniture, or—God forbid—_mounting _her.

Jack literally gave himself a full body shake as he rose from the floor to wander the house after his nap. Carter's scent was everywhere and it was getting more difficult to control his urges. He needed to get out of here for a while.

Slinking by her office to be sure she was still working diligently on her computer, Jack then turned and crept to the back door. He reared up on his hind legs, pawing at the door handle until it opened. Dropping back to all fours and nudging the door the rest of the way with his head, Jack slipped outside unnoticed.

Ah, freedom! He felt a little bad for ditching Carter, but he just needed to get out on his own for a while. Besides, he'd probably be back before she even realized he was gone. On some level Jack knew he wasn't being particularly rational, but the animal part of him was taking over and he just didn't care.

It was darker now, so Jack had the cover of night as he roamed about Carter's neighborhood. He started out with a casual trot, then a lope, and then it became a full out run when he felt a burst of energy. He was amazed at how fast he could go, and he wasn't even close to being tired, either. It was awesome!

Jack would have just continued rounding the neighborhood at top speed, but a strong aroma tempted his wolfy nostrils and he skidded to a stop just outside the wooden fence of somebody's yard. Leaning close, his nostrils flared, his ears quirked, and he could hear and smell a small group of chickens on the other side of the fence. His wolf mind was frenzied with excitement and his tail began to wag in anticipation. Jack licked his chops. He just had to get in there and get those chickens.

Pacing along the edge of the fence, Jack searched, his keen night vision eventually zeroing in on a space beneath the fence. His mind completely focused on his goal, Jack began to dig at a manic pace. He kept clawing at the dirt, every few minutes sticking his head into the hole to test how much deeper he needed to go to be able to fit. Soon, he'd dug enough. Jack wiggled, kicked, and squirmed until he managed to get to the other side.

Shaking the dirt from his fur, Jack licked his chops as his predatory gaze zeroed in on the chicken coup at the other side of the large yard. He didn't bother stalking over; the prey was no match for him. This would be fun.

The wolf had totally taken over now and he didn't want to fight it; he let loose, clawing and biting at the chicken wire to get to the birds inside. It was exciting and fun as the birds all went bonkers, clucking and flapping like crazy while he tried to get at them.

Jack was so intent on getting the chickens that he didn't hear the back door to the house clang open until it was too late. The sound of a gun firing and the bullet hitting the ground near his paws brought Jack's logical, more human mind to the forefront. His ears flattened back and he hopped sideways, away from the chicken coup. There was an angry man shouting curses at him and pointing the business end of a .22 caliber rifle straight at him.

Scrambling out of the way as a bullet thunked off the wooden edge of the coup, heart racing, Jack frantically searched for the hole under the fence where he'd gotten in and bolted for it. He was just clambering beneath it when a sharp pain bit into his left thigh and he let out an involuntary yelp of pain.

Once he got back on the street, Jack half-ran half-limped his way back to Carter's house, trying not to be seen by anyone else and realizing just how very stupid and careless he'd been.

.

Sam rubbed her eyes as she closed the file she'd been working on for so long on her computer and then glanced at the on screen clock. She had to do a double take because she couldn't believe it was nearly eleven at night!

Pushing back from her desk, Sam stood and stretched. She hadn't even had dinner or given the Colonel anything to eat. Suddenly, she froze in the doorway of her study. Holy Hannah! Colonel O'Neill!

"Dammit, I can't believe I forgot about him!" she cursed aloud in a hushed sort of whisper. Pulling a hand through her short hair, Sam walked through the house, looking for him. She was half surprised he hadn't come in to bother her when he'd gotten hungry or bored. But on second thought, he'd been mostly keeping to himself all day, and she couldn't blame him. She didn't know how _she'd _react if she'd been turned into a dog.

"Colonel?" Sam looked around, but she couldn't find him. When she checked the kitchen and found the back door open she thought maybe he'd had to relieve himself and found a way to let himself out so as not to bother her. Thinking he was probably just out back, Sam took a step toward the door and then suddenly leapt back in shock when she saw Colonel O'Neill's furry wolf head pop through the opening.

Gasping in surprise, Sam put a hand to her chest and then moved backwards to lean against the counter. She breathed out and shook her head with a laugh. "Jeeze, Colonel, you scared me." Her head still hanging down, Sam heard his claws tapping against the tiles as he came all the way inside. Something was off, though. He was moving too slow.

Lifting her head, Sam got a full view of her wolf Colonel as he moved by her. He was filthy, covered in dirt and…something else. She peered at him intently, closing the door behind him. "Colonel, what is—" She realized there was blood matted into the fur of his hindquarters and he was limping. "Sir!"

The Colonel stopped moving, and Sam took in his posture. Head hung low, ears back, and tail down. Even standing still his left back paw was barely touching the ground. He looked exhausted and was in obvious pain.

"What happened?" Sam asked without thinking. She grimaced and frowned apologetically when the Colonel tilted his big wolf head at her, furry eyebrows rising slightly. "Sorry, automatic response." She'd forgotten he couldn't answer. Sighing softly, Sam crouched at his left side and gingerly probed at the bloody leg, trying to find the injury beneath all that fur.

O'Neill yelped and hopped sideways to distance himself from her probing hands. He started whining in pain as he shied away, attempting to gingerly lower himself to the hard floor.

Sam wasn't sure how much of him was Jack O'Neill at this point. Frowning, she crawled over to him cautiously and laid a soothing hand on his shoulder. The moment she touched him a vision flashed in her mind. A black and white 'wolf's eye view' showed fluttering chickens in a frenzy for their lives. She felt her heart racing and the image flashed again—a shadowy form of a man with a rifle, pointing directly at her, or rather, _him_.

Drawing her hand back sharply, Sam sucked in a surprised breath. "Sir, I saw—did you?" She really didn't know what to say. "I…I just _saw _what happened. Through _your_ eyes, the way you saw it." The wolf's head tilted. "Did you do that? Did you see it again, too?"

The Colonel barked twice, paused, then barked once more. That was a no and then a yes. He hadn't made her see, at least not on purpose, but the flashback—for lack of a better word—had appeared to him as well. Sam had to wonder if this was supposed to happen, if it was all part of the ceremony. It definitely made it a little easier to communicate. She wondered if he could convey other thoughts just through touch if he tried to do it on purpose, however now was not the time.

Staring at the Colonel's leg, Sam contemplated the wound and frowned. "You'll need proper medical attention, sir. I'll call Janet, but I don't think she has the right equipment or medication to treat you in this form."

O'Neill huffed out a sigh and laid his head on the floor.

"I'm going to find something to wrap that leg for now." Sam reluctantly left him to call Janet and find some bandages. "Don't move," she called back before disappearing down the hall.

.


	2. Chapter 2

**Note: **I just wanted to say thank you so much to those of you who've read and reviewed. I get so excited when I see 'Review Alert' in my inbox! :) Hope you all enjoy this next chapter and I'd love to hear from you all again! -naz

**Part Two**

After Janet advised her to take the Colonel to an emergency vet clinic, and his leg was wrapped with a pressure bandage, Sam got O'Neill in the back of her car, lying across the backseat. She knew there was a vet just a few short blocks from her house, and had found the number in the phone book, calling to let them know to expect her.

When they arrived at the clinic, Sam got out of the car and quickly went to the back, holding the obligatory leash. "Colonel, can you walk or do you want me get someone who can carry you?" she asked, seeing him struggling to rise on the seat.

He gave a snort, and Sam took that to mean he could walk.

Stepping back to give him room, Sam held the door open as he began to climb down. She winced as he hopped down from the car and yelped softly as the movement jarred his injured leg. "I'm sorry about this, sir," she told him as she clipped the leash to the dog tag chain around his neck. He'd balked at the suggestion of wearing an actual dog collar, and the tags would have to suffice.

Sam walked slowly at his side while he limped to the front doors of the clinic. She stepped in ahead of him, holding the door open before taking him up to the front desk. Their appearance drew many strange looks from other owners and their pets in the waiting area. Sam knew it was due to the Colonel's sheer size and intimidating presence alone, and not because of his bandaged leg and limp.

She smiled tightly at a man with his Golden Retriever who stared in awe and commented, "Big dog."

"I assume you're the one who called about the dog with the gunshot wound?" the receptionist asked, looking compassionately down at the Colonel and his bandaged leg.

"Yes." Sam nodded quickly.

The receptionist handed her a form on a clipboard. "Doctor Flynn will see you soon. She's already prepping the operating room for you. You'll just need to fill out some paperwork since this is your first visit to our clinic."

"Alright, thank you." Sam turned, slowly leading the Colonel to a solitary corner of the waiting area. She sat down once O'Neill carefully lowered himself to lie on the floor, and then took a look at the form. She filled out her own information first, and then when it came to filling out the patient's info, she paused at 'name.' Knowing she couldn't very well write 'Colonel O'Neill' on the form, she simply decided on 'Jack.' For the age slot, she took the Colonel's natural age and divided it by seven, coming up with approximately six and a half. She'd remembered that one human year was the equivalent of seven dog years, so she'd played on that a little and went backwards.

Sam found a problem as she looked at the rest of the information she was required to fill out. She checked off all the questions that asked if he were vaccinated against this and that, up to date on shots, negative for worms, etc, but then the form asked her to write down the info for his primary veterinarian. Sam paused momentarily before scribbling down 'Dr. Janet Fraiser,' and giving her friend's cell phone number. She'd let Janet know as soon as she was able just in case they called her to verify the Colonel's information. Sam wouldn't want her friend caught off guard.

Letting the Colonel stay put, Sam got up and handed the receptionist the form before sitting back down. It didn't take long before a vet tech came out of a back room and waved for them to go with her.

O'Neill let out another soft, pained whine as he got back on his feet and limped at Sam's side.

.

Jack couldn't believe how much he hurt from that little .22 caliber bullet. What the hell had he been thinking going after those chickens? He hadn't been thinking, that's what. He'd loosened the stranglehold on his willpower and let the wolf take over. Jack didn't plan on doing that again anytime soon; at least if he could help it.

When he and Carter got to the exam area with the vet tech, Jack felt his hackles rise as an uneasy feeling washed over him. He truly understood why dogs hated going to the vet's office. It must have been some ingrained fear. The smells, the sounds, everything was just grating on his nerves and he wanted to leave.

"Okay," the vet tech said in a soft, kind voice as another tech walked in. "We're just going to get him up on the table so the doctor can do an preliminary exam. Will he need to be muzzled?"

Muzzled? For cryin' out loud, he wasn't going to bite anybody! Jack thought with a mental frown, glancing up at Carter.

"No, I don't think so."

Jack stiffened slightly as the small woman gestured for the much larger male vet tech to help her. The guy stooped to pick him up, carefully reaching beneath his hips with one arm, the other below his chest at the backs of his front legs.

As soon as the guy began to lift him off the ground, a spike of agony went through his left leg and without his own volition, Jack growled and snapped at the guy.

The tech jerked his head away from the business end and nearly dropped Jack before gingerly setting him back down. "Whoa, easy boy. I know you're hurtin'. I'm sorry."

A look at Carter showed her smiling apologetically at the tech. "I guess we might need that muzzle after all. Sorry."

"Don't worry about it," the guy assured her, waving a hand dismissively. "Even the most docile dogs can be a little snappy when they're injured. It's okay."

Carter glanced down and mouthed, 'Sorry,' when the techs weren't looking, and Jack turned his head away in shame. He swiftly realized he wouldn't be able to suppress some of the animal instincts, no matter how hard he tried.

Carter held out her hand when the young woman came back with the muzzle, looking a little tentative. "It's alright, I can put it on him. He'll probably be less likely to snap with someone more familiar." The tech nodded gratefully and Carter crouched down to strap the muzzle on his face.

.

As she was clipping the muzzle strap in place behind the Colonel's head, Sam instantly felt a wave of fear and pain, and knew it had come from him. She looked down to find his soulful brown eyes intently staring back into her blue ones; he knew she'd felt it. "It's okay." She smiled reassuringly, and couldn't help gently patting him on the head and stroking his soft, pointed ears.

The sense of fear subsided, but Sam could still detect the pain as she continued to caress Colonel O'Neill's head, enjoying the softness of his thick fur. She could feel him start to calm down, then rose from her crouch as the male vet tech came closer to try and get him on the table again.

Once he was on the table, lying on his right side, Sam stood by his head so he could see her.

When the veterinarian walked in and introduced herself as "Doctor Flynn," Sam smiled politely and nodded at her. The woman was in her forties, dark brown hair pulled into a loose bun, with faint freckles on her face. She looked kind and trustworthy, Sam thought.

The two techs left, and Doctor Flynn crouched slightly in front of the table where the Colonel lay, reaching out a hand to pat him gently and look him in the eyes. "Hey, boy, we're going to fix you right up, don't you worry." She looked up at Sam, brows furrowed slightly. "How did this happen?" she asked while moving down the table near O'Neill's injured leg.

Sam grimaced momentarily, composing her thoughts with the half-truth she'd prepared in her head. "I accidently left the back door open and he got out. He was caught going after a neighbor's chickens and the man thought he was a wolf and shot him."

"Ooh." The doctor made a sympathetic face and looked down at the bandage wrapped around the Colonel's upper hind leg. "Well, I can see how anyone could mistake Jack here for a wolf. He's quite a large, intimidating looking dog."

"Husky mix," Sam blurted hastily with a quick smile. She was inexplicably worried that the seasoned veterinarian could pinpoint Colonel O'Neill's true heritage.

Flynn nodded. "Okay, well I'm going to just briefly examine the wound before we take him to X-ray to find that bullet. Would you mind holding his shoulders? He might try to get up while I'm doing this."

Nodding quickly, Sam moved to lean over the Colonel, holding his shoulders and looking into his piercing brown eyes while Doctor Flynn began to undo the bandage.

O'Neill bucked on the table once the bandage was free and the vet had to gently push aside thick fur matted with blood to examine the bullet wound. He was strong and Sam struggled to hold him, frowning sympathetically as she knew he was in pain. She kept getting flashes, bursts of emotion from him.

The vet stopped what she was doing and took a step back. "You know what, I think it might be better if I give him a little sedative before we continue any further."

Sam agreed, absently stroking O'Neill's fur while the doctor went over to a cabinet to get the syringe.

By the time he was sedated and the doctor did a quick check of his wound, it was time for them to take the Colonel out of her sight and into the operating area. He was pretty out of it already, and they were going to put him under anesthesia, but she could still sense the lingering panic from when she'd last touched him. The normally unflappable Air Force Colonel wouldn't have been ruffled, but the part of him that was the wolf was anxious beyond reason.

"Miss Carter?"

"Sam," she corrected absently as she was brought out of her pensive stare by the vet's voice.

"Sam," Doctor Flynn conceded with a smile. She gestured at the wheeled cart the vet tech had moved Jack to so they could take him out of the room. "While I was examining Jack I noticed that he's unaltered. Would you like him neutered while we've got him under?"

"No!" Sam blurted quickly with alarm, fumbling to hide her reaction when the veterinarian gave her a strange look. She cleared her throat uncomfortably and shook her head. "No, um, no that's alright. Please, just…just take care of his leg." Oh God, Sam didn't even want to THINK what would happen to the Colonel once he was human again if certain…parts of him were removed in his wolf form. She cringed at the thought, and the vet must have seen, because she placed a soothing hand on Sam's shoulder.

"It's okay, Sam, we'll leave him intact if that's what you want. I just thought I'd offer." Doctor Flynn smiled reassuringly.

Sam sagged with some relief and sent the vet a wan smile. She rubbed her arms and then waved off to where the Colonel had been taken. "Will it take long?"

"No, it shouldn't," Flynn assured her. "You can stay in the waiting room if you'd like. Or if you want to leave and come back that's fine, too. In fact, it might be best if we keep him here overnight."

"Overnight? Here?" Sam tensed and the vet was giving her that strange look again. She quickly fabricated an excuse. "It's just that… Well, Col—_Jack _gets severe separation anxiety when he's away from me or home, and I'm just worried that it will effect his recovery if he wakes up from the anesthesia here and…gets too agitated."

"Hm," the doctor nodded thoughtfully, stroking her chin. "Well, if you're overly concerned, then I suppose you can take him home after his surgery as long as you'll be there to keep an eye on him."

"Yes, I'll be there. I'm off work for a few days," Sam half-lied.

"Okay. I'll give you the antibiotics and pain reliever now. Just meet me back out at the front desk."

"Alright, that sound's good. Thank you so much. I really appreciate it." Sam breathed out in relief. She was so afraid about the Colonel staying the night locked up in a cage in a strange place, she honestly didn't know how he would react.

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	3. Chapter 3

**Note: **I wasn't able to respond to everyone individually this time, but thanks so much to all of you reviewers! I greatly enjoy, appreciate, and welcome any and all comments. I'm equally surprised and happy with the response to this story. :) - naz

**Part Three**

The Colonel was still groggy from the anesthetic when Sam took him home. She wished she'd been able to carry him, because he'd barely been able to get out of the car when they got there, but he was too heavy for her. He half-walked, half-hopped into the house, his unsteadiness from the drugs causing him to waver drunkenly as he attempted to keep the weight off his left hind leg.

Sam followed him in after holding the door, then gathered some blankets and folded them on the floor in the living room to make a soft bed for the Colonel to lie on. When he'd settled down, she brought in the Tupperware from the kitchen floor that she'd been using as his food and water bowls. If he was hungry or thirsty she didn't want him to have to go very far. Sam still felt weird giving him dog food, but he hadn't snubbed his nose at it before so she assumed it was just fine according to his new canine taste buds. She felt like she should be giving him real, fresh meat, like a steak or ground hamburger at the very least.

Sprawled on his right side on the pile of blankets in front of the couch, the Colonel was out for the count when she returned with a full bowl of a canned/dry dog food mix and fresh water. Sam stretched out across the couch and after a moment's hesitation, reached down to lightly stroke the Colonel's side while he slept.

It was late, and Sam was tired, both physically and emotionally. The day had been quite long, and this recent emergency with the Colonel had put some strain on her. Soon, she was drifting off right there on the couch, one arm still draped over the side, her hand resting on Colonel O'Neill's furry ribcage.

.

Jack opened his eyes when his jerking legs sent a spike of pain all the way up his spine, jarring him awake. He felt a heavy hand on his side and rolled over partly to look up into the worried face of Carter. Jack quickly realized that he'd been dreaming, and while she'd been touching him, he'd accidently been sending her flashes of that dream. He tried for an embarrassed grimace, but it probably looked more like he was baring his teeth in a snarl.

_Sorry, Carter,_ he thought, and watched her jerk. She sat up completely on the couch with eyes widened in shock.

"Sir!" she exclaimed, grogginess from sleep a mere distant memory. "I heard that!"

"_Rr?" _He made a confused noise and cocked his head. Jack started to get up and then remembered the pain in his left leg with sudden clarity. He winced, an involuntary whine of pain escaping. 

Carter was no longer touching him, and by her lack of immediate response Jack guessed that she could only sense things from him when she was touching him. "This is amazing, sir. I wonder if this Coming of Age ceremony goes through stages? I know I couldn't hear your thoughts before, and I didn't even start getting images and feelings from you until last night, after you'd been shot."

Jack huffed out a sigh and then, against some part of him that suggested this was just so _wrong_, rested his chin on her knee so she could 'hear' him. _I have to pee, Carter, can we talk about this later?_

"Uh," Carter actually looked dumbfounded, probably for the first time in her entire life. "Um, right. Uh, of course, sir. Sorry," she fumbled, rubbing her eyes and getting to her feet as she reached for the lamp next to the couch and turned it on.

Squinting from the sudden brightness, Jack realized it must have been the middle of the night/early morning. His night vision was so good that he hadn't noticed how dark it was at first.

Jack painfully hopped to the back door and Carter let him out. He noticed her hovering at the half open door while he went out there, but he wasn't embarrassed because he knew she couldn't really see anything since the outside light was off and it was dark. He did his business not far from the back door, lifting his leg on a flowerbed before hopping back inside. It was too painful to go much farther and he was already exhausted.

Returning to the living room with Carter hovering close by, Jack ate a little of the food she'd left for him earlier, lapped up some water, and then gratefully sank down on the soft pile of blankets once more. He closed his eyes for a moment, and upon opening them, discovered that Carter was gone. Thinking she'd left to spend the rest of the night in her own bed, Jack was surprised when she came back and crouched in front of him. She was holding a plastic tube that looked like a syringe without the needle.

_Carter? _he questioned when she placed her hand on his head.

"It's your painkiller, sir," she explained, holding out the tube with the gel-like substance for him to look at. "I'm supposed to stick this in the back of your mouth and depress the plunger." An abashed expression flashed across Carter's face.

Jack just gave a nod, allowing her to do whatever it was she needed. Normally he would have preferred to stay lucid, as painkillers often made him groggy, but things were a little different right now. Maybe this stuff wouldn't make him drowsy. Maybe it would suppress the wolfy urges. But then again, he thought with some alarm, what if it allowed the wolf side of him to take over?

Carter gently peeled back one side of his lip and stuck the tube opening at the back of his teeth. She depressed the plunger, and the gel stuff squirted into Jack's mouth. It tasted awful, but he had no choice but to swallow it.

Moving his tongue around and shaking his head in a poor attempt to get rid of the taste, Jack grunted and then sunk back to lie down on his blankets.

"Sorry, sir." Carter grimaced apologetically.

Jack just dropped his head down, absently watching Carter as she disappeared from his line of sight. He closed his eyes for a moment, and shortly thereafter, he heard a noise, got a whiff of Carter's scent, and looked up to see her coming back into the living room. She had changed into some sleep pants and a t-shirt, and carried the blanket from her bed and a pillow.

If he could, Jack would have smiled. He lifted his head and nodded gratefully at her, appreciating the fact that she was staying close by. Although he'd never let her know (if he could help it, with the way things were going), Jack didn't really want to be alone.

Shifting carefully and snuggling into his pile of blankets, Jack felt a wave of fatigue wash over him, probably from the drugs. He let it take him, closing his eyes and breathing out slowly as he listened to Carter settling down on the couch, heard her click off the table light.

.

Sam heard the soft jangling of Colonel O'Neill's dog tags as he limped into the kitchen the next morning, making his way to the back door. She let him out, then went to get him some food and fresh water, waiting patiently for his return. Sam was a little concerned, as she hadn't had a chance to touch him or really talk to him yet this morning. She didn't know how much of him was wolf right now.

After a few minutes, Sam checked by the back door. She smiled with relief when she saw him limping slowly toward her as she opened it. "Ready for another round of painkillers, sir?"

He paused on his way in and gave her a mock-baleful glare before hopping by and into the kitchen.

By just that look alone Sam knew he was all Colonel at the moment; at least mentally. She followed him to the living room where she'd put the fresh food. "I mixed the antibiotics in with your food. Thought it might be easier for you to get the pills down that way, but I couldn't do the same for the painkiller. Sorry."

O'Neill glanced up at her with an approving sort of nod and then started eating. He seemed hungry and finished up pretty quickly. Sam considered it a good sign. When he was done, he drank some water, then she asked him to lie down so she could check his wound.

She gave him the painkiller first, which she knew the Colonel wasn't too happy about, nor was he happy about her messing with the bullet hole in his leg. The disgruntled curses and flashes of pain Sam received when she touched him were a clear indication of that.

_Carter, _the Colonel's voice growled in her head as she worked on unwrapping the bandage. _It's fine; just leave it wouldja?_

"I can't do that, sir. Sorry," Sam quickly apologized as she cleaned the wound on O'Neill's leg, thankful the vet had shaved the area for the surgery, giving her easier access without all that fur in the way.

All three of the Colonel's other legs kicked out as Sam worked on him, and he growled at the discomfort. She wasn't getting any thoughts from him now, only random bursts of emotion, and Sam was sure that the wolf was pushing to the forefront of his mind while he was hazy from pain. She silently pleaded for the meds to kick in soon so the Colonel part of him would be back in control. Sam wasn't too confident that she wouldn't get bit if he went all wolf right now.

Sam stopped what she was doing when she received a flash of pain, irritation, and disorientation from the Colonel. She barely pulled away in time when he snapped at her, snagging the edge of her t-shirt in the process and tearing it. "Okay, okay; I'm done," Sam said calmly, slowly backing away and rising from her crouch on the floor beside him.

Not wanting to risk a bite—more to do with concern over Colonel O'Neill's guilt trip than actually getting bitten—Sam made the decision to finish re-bandaging his leg after the painkillers kicked in. She watched him stretch out on his side cautiously, then went into her bedroom to shower and change while giving him time to come back to himself.

When she went to check on the Colonel again, she was surprised to see him struggling to all fours, wobbling precariously and trying not to put any weight on his rear left leg as he limped around the couch. "Colonel?" Sam tested hesitantly.

_Woof. _His head turned in her direction, bobbing once.

"Glad you're back, sir." Sam couldn't help her soft sigh of relief. She smiled down at him tightly as he limped over to her. "You weren't exactly yourself a little while ago."

The Colonel snorted and lightly butted his head into her hand. _I'm sorry, Carter._

"You remember?" she asked him with a small grimace. Sam turned her hand and placed it on his large, furry head, brushing her thumb against the base of one ear.

_Kinda. _He leaned his head into her hand.

"Will you let me wrap up your leg?"

O'Neill nodded, slowly lowering himself to the hardwood floor, not bothering to go back to his blankets in front of the couch. He must have still been feeling a little groggy from the meds, because he was very compliant and kind of sulky as Sam carefully bandaged his leg, and she was getting very few thoughts from him. The most prominent feeling she sensed was incertitude regarding his situation.

"We'll figure this out, sir," Sam told him softly when she'd finished, one hand on his side in case he wanted to communicate with her. "I'm going to call Daniel this afternoon and see if he has any new information. I know he was going to talk to the general to see about going back there. The people were friendly and this wasn't intentional or malicious in any way, so I don't see why Hammond would say no if Teal'c or another team went with him."

_Thanks, Carter. _The Colonel's dark eyes tracked to her, and he huffed softly as she pulled her hand away.

Sam let him lie there in peace while she stepped into the kitchen to make herself something for breakfast. He didn't look like he was very inclined to move at the moment, and that was just fine with her.

.


	4. Chapter 4

**Note: **Thanks again for all the reviews, story alerts, and favorites! :) I hope to hear from you all again with this chapter. Reviews are totally like author crack! ;) –naz

**Part Four**

Later in the afternoon, Sam left the computer in her office to answer a knock on the front door. She heard the Colonel bark instinctively a scant second before the knock sounded. He limped down the hall ahead of her and stuck his nose in the crack under the door with a sniff before turning and giving her an approving look. Sam smiled and patted him on the head with a "Good boy," without thinking. The Colonel's ears quirked with amusement as her cheeks burned in embarrassment and she immediately apologized. "I'm so sorry, sir."

Sam didn't touch him, but the look he was giving her seemed to indicated an _It's okay_. She opened the door to find Daniel standing there with a timid smile on his face. "Hi, Daniel."

"Hey, Sam." He looked down and nodded in greeting. "Jack."

_Ruff. _Colonel O'Neill bowed his head slightly, then turned and limped back to the living room where he'd come from.

"Come on in." Sam waved Daniel inside and walked with him into the kitchen. "Want something to drink?"

"Ah, no thanks, I'm good." He sat at the breakfast bar, then waved a hand vaguely toward the open living room where the Colonel had gone to lie down again. "How's he doing…with the bullet wound thing?"

Sam smiled wanly. "I can tell his leg is painful, slowing him down a bit, even if he won't admit it. But it only happened last night so I'm not expecting any miraculous improvement quite yet." She shrugged.

A few loud, disgruntled barks from the Colonel on the other side of the couch caught Sam and Daniel's attention, and Sam grimaced. There was no barrier between the kitchen and the living room, and with O'Neill's super-sharp hearing at the moment, she quickly realized the barking was akin to a sarcastic, "I can hear you, ya know." Sam had even imagined her commander's voice in her head.

"Sorry, Jack," Daniel called out his apology, shifting uncomfortably in the tall chair at the breakfast bar. "Oh, so Jack," he turned, but was unable to see his friend who lay on the other side of the couch. "I've got some news from the planet. You might want to hear this."

Sam swiveled in her own chair, looking at Daniel with interest. She heard the Colonel struggling to get up, his claws tapping on the wooden floor as he gingerly made his way over and sat down.

"The young man that went through the ceremony while you were there—he's back; human again."

The Colonel cocked his head, his pointed ears sticking up with interest.

Daniel continued, suddenly looking a little uncomfortable, and Sam noticed his cheeks turning a little red. "He found his, uh, his _soul mate_ I guess. A young woman in the tribe. I don't really know what else had to take place for him to turn back, but…well, he did." Daniel lifted his hands up in a helpless gesture.

Colonel O'Neill snorted, and Sam could have sworn she saw his eyes roll.

"Daniel, if you're touching the Colonel you can hear his thoughts. He might have some questions for you."

"Really?" the archaeologist exclaimed with surprise. "When did this happen? We couldn't before."

"I know." Sam shrugged. "It happened late last night. And after he was shot I could touch him and sense emotions and I was even getting flashes of images from his memory. That's how I knew how he'd gotten shot."

"Really?" Daniel glanced down at the Colonel and he nodded. He got off his chair and held out one hand. "Could I?"

The Colonel gave another nod and didn't move, waiting for Daniel to pat him on the head or something so they could communicate.

Sam watched with mild trepidation as Daniel placed his hand flat on the top of the Colonel's furry head, looking a little uncomfortable in doing so. A small smile of amusement quirked at her lips. She waited patiently, watching them, but nothing seemed to be happening.

Daniel sent her a confused look. "I don't hear anything." He frowned and turned back to the Colonel, who was staring directly at him, the archaeologist's hand still atop his head. "Are you trying?"

Sam caught O'Neill's eyes rolling and he barked, giving a quick nod. "Maybe that stage of the transition is over?" she offered, unsure.

"You try," Daniel suggested, taking a step back.

Shrugging, Sam crouched down and put her hand at the Colonel's shoulder.

_Carter? _she heard almost immediately.

"Yes, sir." Sam nodded, then glanced back at Daniel.

"You can still hear him?" he asked, eyebrows raising above the frame of his glasses.

"Yeah." Sam pursed her lips, feeling a little self-conscious all of a sudden.

Daniel babbled on as though he'd had a revelation. "That means he can only communicate with _you_." He tapped his chin thoughtfully. "Huh."

She detected the hint of amusement in his tone, and glared. "What's _that_ supposed to mean?"

"Ah, uh… I dunno, I was just—" Daniel fumbled with a grimace, shrugging. "I don't really…know."

_Carter! _

Her attention snapped back to the Colonel's face. "Sir?"

_Ask Daniel if he found out more about what's gonna happen to me. _O'Neill's dark chocolate eyes peered at her intently.

"Oh, right." Sam didn't want to spend too much time thinking why only _she _could communicate with the Colonel, but the thought was still there in the back of her mind. She turned around to find Daniel looking at her expectantly. "Colonel O'Neill wants to know if you have any information concerning what stages the boy went through before becoming human again," she said, using her own phrasing.

Daniel heaved a sigh, looking a little nervous, his eyes shifty. "Uh, no. Sorry."

The Colonel growled with irritation, then pushed himself up from the floor and limped away, heading back for his pile of blankets in front of the couch. Sam watched him go with apprehension, his gait staggering as he went.

"Uh… Is he okay?" Daniel pointed after O'Neill, following Sam's line of sight.

"Colonel?" Sam got out of her chair and rounded the sofa in time to see O'Neill slump to the floor without warning before he reached his makeshift bed. She gasped. "Daniel! Come over here, the Colonel's collapsed!"

"What?" Daniel scrambled off his own seat and ran over. He took one look at the Colonel and knelt down as she did the same. "What happened?"

"I don't know! I don't…I…" Sam just shook her head, gingerly touching O'Neill's side. It was still rising and falling, indicating he was breathing, but his breaths were shallow and rapid. She leaned over his head to find the dark brown pools were just barely open. He was still conscious. "Sir?" Sam lightly stroked his side, expecting to get _something_ from him—anything.

_C'rrter… Don't feel—can't…breathe…s'good, _the Colonel thought, sounding weak and muddled.

"We need to get him in the car. NOW," Sam practically commanded, desperately looking at Daniel who seemed just as frantic.

Together, she and Daniel carefully got him on one of the blankets on the floor and lifted him gingerly, using the blanket as a type of stretcher. "Are we taking him back to the vet clinic?"

Sam bit down on her lower lip, hesitating for a moment. "I don't know. What do you think? I'm afraid they'll want to keep him overnight and we could be risking national security." She glanced down at the Colonel; he didn't look well at all. What if it was the medicine from the vet messing with him in the first place? Or maybe this was all part of the ceremony. Who knew? She sucked in a deep breath as they carried Colonel O'Neill out the door, having made her decision. "The base is closer."

Daniel nodded as they carried O'Neill toward the front door. "I'll drive. You call Janet."

Once the Colonel was settled across the back seat of Daniel's car, Sam ran back inside to grab the medication from the vet's office in case Janet wanted to know what he'd been taking.

Back in the car, Sam decided to sit in the backseat with Colonel O'Neill as she made the call to Janet, wanting to keep in physical contact with him so she would know the second his condition changed.

She was frantic on the phone, but Janet had been fairly confident that the Colonel was suffering some kind of allergic reaction from the vet's medication. The sooner they got him to base, the sooner she could treat him and make him well.

While Daniel drove like a madman, Sam lightly stroked behind the Colonel's ears, his big furry head in her lap. She knew she was taking a risk being so close to his face, if he were to snap to full wolf mode she'd be in trouble, but Sam was willing to chance it to be able to offer him some comfort.

The Colonel's breaths became more labored as they neared the mountain, the raspy sound in his chest making Sam cringe. She could sense his fear, on the verge of panic, and whispered nonsense to soothe him, worried that she was receiving no thoughts and wondering if he was making an effort to hide them from her or if he was going wolf.

.

Combined with a failing ability to breathe properly, and the bumping and jarring from Daniel's driving, Jack was starting to feel nauseous. He tried to convey this mentally, to Sam, but his thoughts weren't forming correctly at the moment and he could only hope that she could 'sense' the nauseous feeling as it came over him.

Hearing Sam's tranquil mutterings along with the feeling of her hand gently massaging his scalp was a balm to Jack's raw anxiety, but it didn't suppress the sick feeling as it continued to come over him in waves.

"It's going to be okay, sir; we're almost there." She began to lightly stroke along his chest as a particularly strained breath hissed in and then out of his constricting lungs, causing his whole body to shudder.

By the time Daniel's car came to a jolting stop (had they gone through the security checkpoints already?), Jack's vision was blackening around the edges and he knew he was dangerously close to both vomiting and passing out.

.

Sam and Daniel got O'Neill out of the car the same way they'd gotten him in, on the blanket. Sam went to lift the edges of the blanket by his head, warning Daniel that the Colonel had a tendency to lose control of his wolf instincts and snap when he was in pain.

"Well, I don't want him biting _you_, either," Daniel argued.

Sam hesitated for a moment, unsure if she really ought to mention that Colonel O'Neill might be a little more used to _her_ by now, wolfy mind or not. Biting her lip, she conceded, allowing Daniel to take the heavier, business end.

As soon as they switched positions and got the Colonel out of the car, however, Sam's hand brushed O'Neill and she suddenly got a flash of sensation. "Daniel, you might want to—"

Before she was able to complete the warning, the Colonel heaved suddenly, vomit spewing on Daniel's khaki pants and worn brown loafers. "Agh." Daniel looked down in disgust, then half-jokingly muttered, "Thanks a lot, Jack."

Grimacing in sympathy, Sam adjusted her hold on the blanket and let go with one hand to lightly touch the Colonel's hip. She frowned at what she sensed from him, and glanced back up at her still-disgusted archaeologist. "He can't breathe that well, Daniel. Let's hurry up and get inside."

Seeing her distress, Daniel nodded. "Janet should be waiting with a gurney at the first elevator," he said optimistically. They were both well-versed with how the doctor responded to medical emergencies, having been involved in enough of them themselves. Sam just wanted to get the Colonel in her care as soon as possible.

.


	5. Chapter 5

**Part Five**

Sam had been pacing back and forth in front of the isolated room where Janet had immediately taken Colonel O'Neill. Daniel and Teal'c had both been sitting much more calmly in the hard plastic chairs against the wall, but she just couldn't be still.

When Janet finally opened the door and invited them in, Sam nearly knocked the poor woman over in her haste to see how the Colonel was doing. "Janet, is he okay?"

She smiled reassuringly at the rest of SG-1. "He will be."

Looking at the Colonel lying there on the bed gave Sam pause. He was unconscious with an IV in his front leg, and an oxygen mask jury-rigged with tape, extra plastic pieces, and multiple elastic bands so it would stay on his muzzle. He looked so fragile, his furry chest heaving up and down with each breath. "What…what's wrong with him?" She fought the panic that threatened to rise to the surface.

"We tested the veterinarian prescribed meds you brought in. It turns out he was having a bad reaction to the antibiotics, but I gave him something to counteract that and he should be fine. I just want to let him finish the saline drip and keep him on oxygen a little longer before you can take him home, okay?"

Home. Sam tried not to think too much about the way Janet had said it, like her home was Colonel O'Neill's, too. She hadn't meant it like that. Sam shook her head and sunk down in the chair beside the bed, trying to stop from reading too much into anything.

"Why is he still unconscious?" Daniel asked.

"Once the Colonel's breathing was a bit better I gave him a mild sedative. He got a little agitated when one of my nurses tried to get a blood sample. It was just a precaution."

Daniel nodded with understanding and looked at Teal'c, then Sam. He gestured toward the door, moving and waving Teal'c with him. "I'm gonna go…see if the General will let us go back to the planet one more time to get a bit more information. Maybe Teal'c and I can talk to the boy, get some answers to Jack's questions now that I know what to ask. I'd also like another opportunity to hear their language spoken, which will hopefully help my understanding of it."

"Yeah, that's probably a good idea." Sam nodded in agreement but didn't make a move to get up from her perch at the Colonel's bedside as the guys left. She turned her attention to Janet. "I'd like to stay with Colonel O'Neill if that's alright?"

Janet laid a friendly hand on her shoulder. "Of course, Sam. In fact I think my nurses would feel better if you were here. He seems to respond better to you even when he's gone over to the wolf side."

Sam felt her cheeks flush and ducked her head bashfully. When Janet touched her shoulder and left the room, Sam shifted her chair closer to the Colonel's bed and lightly began patting his head, gently scratching behind his ears. She was rather dismayed to find that she wasn't getting anything from him, and wondered if it was simply because he was unconscious or if it was something else. Sam was half-expecting a stray thought or image; anything was better than this blankness of white noise.

_Carter?_

She nearly leapt out of her skin at the sudden sound of Colonel O'Neill's voice in her head. Her hand stopped scratching behind his ears to rest on his neck, knowing she had to keep in contact in order to 'hear' him. "Sir, how are you feeling?" she asked him softly.

His big brown eyes flicked open. _Leg hurts._

Sam frowned with concern and began to get up. "I'll go get Janet, sir. She's got your medications."

_Wait, _he thought before she completely lost contact with him.

Sam paused, her hand still on his furry neck, his head lifting slightly. "Sir?"

_What's this thing on my face? _he wanted to know, dark eyes flicking toward her.

"Janet had to jury-rig an oxygen mask to fit on your…uh…muzzle, sir," Sam explained reassuringly.

_Oh. _His head dropped back down on the bed tiredly.

She smiled down at him, warmly. "I'll be back with Janet in a minute, Colonel."

'_Kay, _she heard before her hand slid away and they lost contact.

When she got back with Janet and the gel painkiller syringe from the vet's office, Sam approached the Colonel first, calling his name as she moved to stand by his head. He didn't respond right away, but when Janet went to check his leg, his head jerked up and he growled warningly.

Janet took a step back and lifted her hands in a non-threatening gesture. "Easy, now," she said softly.

"I think he's more wolf at the moment, Janet," Sam said unnecessarily. "It's probably because of his leg. I've noticed that the more controlled side of him tends to switch off when he's in pain."

Janet nodded in acknowledgment. "Well, I could help with that if he'll let me give him his painkiller." She looked doubtfully at O'Neill, his head up and alert, dark eyes drilling her cagily.

Sam moved around the bed and lightly touched his back when his head jerked as if suddenly realizing there was a strange object attached to his face. He bucked and began pawing frantically at the oxygen mask. "It's okay, it's okay," Sam hushed as calmly as she could, gently scratching his back in a soothing gesture as she received flashes of panic and fear.

"Sam, he's going to hurt himself," Janet warned her, standing with her hands out, poised to help but also keeping her distance from the frenzied wolf.

"_I know,"_ Sam hissed. "I'm trying to calm him down." She boldly moved back toward his head, one hand keeping contact at all times. When she reached the back of his neck she swiftly pulled the oxygen mask off him in one smooth movement and stepped back. Now that his muzzle was free he could more easily bite one of them, but Sam hoped that with the stressful equipment gone, he might relax.

"Be careful," Janet cautioned as Sam gingerly stepped around the bed until she'd stopped in front of him.

"Pass me the medication?" Sam reached out slowly and the doctor did as she asked. She was no longer touching the Colonel, and he appeared tense, but wasn't giving her the same wary look he'd been giving Janet earlier. He wasn't looking at her like she was a threat. "It's okay, Jack," she tried, going for his given name. "I just want to help you."

The Colonel's head tilted, and as Sam cautiously moved her empty hand in front of his muzzle, palm up, he leaned forward and sniffed her.

"Sam," Janet warned worriedly.

"_Shh." _She smiled tenderly at the wolf on the bed, searching those familiar brown eyes for some recognition. _"It's okay, he trusts me," _she whispered confidently.

The Colonel licked her hand and then nudged her palm with his big head.

Sam sensed comfort and safety from him, and knowing that the wolf side was strongest at this point, it made her feel special. It meant a lot that she could get this wild part of him to trust in her.

"_Good boy," _she whispered with a smile, raising the plastic syringe in her free hand, the other resting lightly on his muzzle. "Okay, I'm just going to give you some medicine now." Sam doubted he understood her in his current mental state, but telling him what she was about to do made _her _feel better.

Gently peeling back his lip, the Colonel let her stick the plastic tube part of the syringe between his back teeth. She depressed the plunger quickly, squirting the gel into his mouth and eliciting a big shake of his wolfy head, his tongue moving all around from the taste.

Sam patted his head, scratching behind his ears before turning to Janet with an encouraging smile. "The Colonel should be more like himself once the meds kick in."

Janet nodded with understanding. "I'll come back in a while to check him out, then. Will you stay with him?"

"Yeah," Sam assured her, sitting down beside the bed. She smiled with amusement when the Colonel's tail thumped on the bed happily. Putting her complete confidence in him at the moment, Sam rose from her chair and moved to sit by him on the edge of the bed. It was much easier for her to keep contact with him this way instead of reaching up from the low chair. His head turned toward her slightly, then rested against the mattress again as she put her hand on his side and began gently scratching along his ribs.

Sam didn't get much from him now, but when she did it was relieving to sense only the trust and calmness radiating from the Colonel in brief, gentle pulses. She stayed there, stroking his soft fur absently for a while as she waited for him to be himself again.

Not much later, the Colonel was back. His head lifted and Sam could see the clarity in the depths of his brown eyes. She stood up, her hand sliding down the length of a front leg to rest at his massive paw.

_Can we get the hell outta here now, Carter? _he asked pleadingly.

She smiled back at him with relief, and nodded. "Janet just wants to check you out one more time. I'll go get her, okay? Be right back." The Colonel nodded sharply as her hand slid away from him, and Sam swiftly left to go get the doctor.

Colonel O'Neill remained in control when Janet came back to examine his leg as well as remove the IV and check his vitals. Janet then gave Sam some new antibiotic tablets that she'd had to get special ordered and cleared him to go home with her.

Remembering that they'd driven Daniel's car to the mountain, and he was currently off-world, Sam was able to find an SF that was available to drive them back to her place. The poor young man was terribly confused about the large wolf-looking dog accompanying her, but Sam simply told him it was 'need-to-know' and the un-attempted question had died on his lips.

.

It was late when they got back to Carter's house, and Jack was both very tired and very hungry. Not feeling very communicative, he dragged his exhausted carcass to his little area in front of the couch and sat down near the Tupperware food and water containers, pawing at them as Carter came over.

"I'm sorry Colonel, you haven't eaten in a while," Carter exclaimed with realization. She hurriedly grabbed the bowls and took off, presumably to get him food and fresh water.

While she was gone, Jack limped over to his soft pile of blankets and sat, but didn't lie down all the way. He knew if he did that he'd probably fall asleep only to wake even hungrier and probably pretty cranky.

Carter brought him his food and water, telling him the new antibiotics were mixed in, so he needed to finish all of it. That hadn't been a problem. He was so hungry he practically inhaled the soggy mixture of wet and dry dog food, then settled back on his blankets.

When Carter came back again, she had a bowl of macaroni and was wearing her pajamas. She sat down on the couch and turned on the television, flipping through the channels for several seconds before settling on a random movie.

Jack's ears twitched, his nostrils flaring as he sat up. It wasn't due to the heavenly smell of the food, though. All he was smelling was her. Her comforting, wonderful scent was calling him closer. He hopped up on the couch, surprising her judging by the short gasp, and forcing himself to ignore the protesting twinge from his leg. He watched her for a moment, wanting to be closer, but waiting for permission.

Carter misread his move and pulled her bowl of food closer to her chest, smiling slyly at him. "I don't think so, sir. My mac n' cheese will probably make you sick as a…" she shrugged helplessly and finished the comment, "dog…in your current state."

He didn't care about her food, however. He just wanted to be near her, wanted her to touch him. Jack shook his furry head and waited until she'd finished eating, setting the bowl on the table. Then, he made his move, crawling a little closer and then waiting again.

Taking the blanket from the back of the couch, Carter draped it over her legs and put her feet up on the coffee table before turning to him with a curious expression. "What?" she asked softly, tilting her head.

Jack would have smiled if he could. Still exhausted and feeling the effects of his painkillers, he huffed out a breath and laid down, his head barely brushing her thigh. A warmth spread through him at the minimal contact, and he knew Carter had probably felt it, too. Her hand moved to rest on his shoulder, her fingers moving soothingly through his fur. Jack absently wiggled closer until his head rested in her lap. He sighed contently, letting his guard down as he fell asleep.

.

Sam was mildly surprised when the Colonel boldly put his head down on her lap, but she couldn't help smiling at the waves of security and contentment she received when they touched. Part of her considered that he might be mostly wolf right now, but as she felt him falling asleep, Sam got an image from him that proved otherwise. The flash she received was a dream-like image of Colonel O'Neill, lying on her couch and holding her in his arms. It was brief, and things went black after that, but Sam couldn't get the image out of her head.

She wasn't shocked, but oddly happy at what she saw. Maybe it was time she and the Colonel discussed their mutual feelings for one another and stopped hiding behind Air Force regulations. Just maybe they could work things out. There was a reason she hadn't put up much of a fight when it had been decided the Colonel was going home with her.

Lightly scratching the Colonel behind his ears while she watched the movie, Sam felt herself becoming drowsy. She leaned her head back against the couch and closed her eyes during the commercial, keeping in contact with Colonel O'Neill and smiling as she occasionally received flashes from a very pleasant dream that she was a part of.

.

Sunlight shone brightly through the living room windows, waking Sam from a mostly-restful sleep. Her right hand was still resting on the Colonel's head in her lap, but the soft fur she remembered from last night felt strange—different. Opening her eyes and looking down, Sam gasped slightly when she immediately noticed that the head resting in her lap was quite human, and attached to a very naked, (except for the dog tags) very male body curled up on the couch beside her.

"_Oh…my…" _she uttered softly, valiantly trying not to stare. Sam managed to wiggle slightly to get the blanket off her legs without waking him, then draped it over the Colonel's naked form. She made an effort to squirm away again, this time getting his head off her lap and onto a throw pillow before she was able to escape. Stepping back from the couch, Sam took a moment to admire him lying there, his feet poking out the end of the blanket while the top of his shoulders and head peaked out on the other side.

Sam stood for a few seconds longer, listening to him snoring softly before smiling and turning on her heel to go make coffee. She had a feeling they were both going to need it.

.

Jack woke up confused and a bit groggy, seeing colors for the first time in days. Before he was able to give himself a chance to figure things out, Carter came striding around the couch with two mugs of coffee in hand. Brows furrowed in confusion, he just stared and blinked at her slowly. Why the hell was she bringing him coffee when he couldn't even drink it?

"Sir?" she began tentatively, setting the mugs on the coffee table in front of the couch.

He was still lying on his side, but lifted his head and tilted it so that she wasn't sideways when he looked at her.

"Colonel, are you alright?" She moved closer.

Jack grunted and leaned forward, stretching his neck out until his head bumped her hand. "I can see in colors, Carter." His head jerked back and his eyes widened when he realized those words had come out of his mouth. He'd spoken them aloud. _Wait-a-minute._

Carter laughed softly. "Sir… You're human again. You're back." She smiled warmly.

"Oh." He sat up and flung his legs over the side of the couch, grunting at the small twinge of pain from his left thigh. Jack abruptly realized he was stark naked under the blanket that had been draped over him, and it was now barely covering his lap since he'd moved. _"Shit."_

Carter pursed her lips in an attempt to smother her grin and then sat beside him.

Jack quickly and awkwardly arranged the blanket so it was mostly wrapped around his waist. He cleared his throat. "Um…morning."

"Good morning." Carter reached for the coffee on the table and handed him one, taking the other for herself. "How are you feeling?"

"Pretty…good…" he said slowly, surprised that he didn't feel completely uncomfortable sitting naked next to Carter with just a blanket over his lap. He moved his left leg experimentally and winced. "Leg twinges a bit."

She nodded at him. "You were shot…when you were a wolf."

"Yeah." He grimaced, then sipped at his coffee, his hands feeling strange as he gripped the mug. "I remember everything."

Carter reached over and gently placed her hand on his forearm. "I think we need to talk…Jack." Her voice was soft, open.

Looking in her deep blue eyes, Jack could see the emotions swirling. His heartbeat sped up, knowing just what she wanted to talk about. He remembered what Daniel had said about him turning back to normal once he'd found his soul mate and had the distinct feeling that Carter hadn't forgotten it either. There was no denying that they'd made a special connection when he'd been a wolf. That connection didn't feel like a fluke to him, and a big part of him felt it was still there—stronger. Maybe she couldn't read his thoughts by touching him, but the link—the bond—was there. He was already hers.

Jack nodded, turning his hand over to grasp hers. "Okay…_Sam_."

.

Daniel and Teal'c returned from the planet that afternoon, but by then they were too late to make a difference, not that it mattered. They were happy to learn that human Jack was back with them, and after having a talk with the boy and the village locals, fighting through the language barrier, it became no mystery to Daniel why it was that Jack had returned to them.

As they entered the infirmary they found Jack perched on a gurney with Sam sitting so close to him that their thighs were touching. Upon further inspection he noticed that their hands were even intertwined between them. Daniel paused in the doorway and turned to Teal'c with a smug, satisfied smile on his face as he whispered, "I think I know why Jack could only communicate with Sam."

Teal'c tilted his head, a slow smile tugging at his cheeks as he nodded. "Indeed."

.End.

**Note: **I know, I know. Last chapter. What? But don't worry, there WILL be a sequel as I have already begun writing it. :) There will be more Sam/Jackness to come, I promise. Thank you so much to everyone reading/reviewing/alerting/favoriting this story! I greatly appreciate it.

Also, as a show of my appreciation, I'd like to give you an as yet unedited preview of the sequel.

**Preview – Dog Heaven: Dog Days**

_Cursing, Jack furiously ran his hands back and forth over his head, completely mussing up his hair. It was six months ago that he'd been turned into a wolf off-world after getting mixed up in a tribe's Coming of Age ceremony, where he'd only returned to normal after finding his soul mate in Sam. The two had gotten together since then, and after weeks of no after-effects from the transformation, Jack had felt pretty confident that he was completely normal again. Until recently, that is._


End file.
